east of Lancashire. In consequence the product has increased beyond conception, the rents are more than trebled, and the population has augmented to an astonishing degree; for the old inclosed lands, as well as the common, being exonerated from tithes, a full scope was given to spirited cultivation.

COURTS AND COURT ROLLS.

THE Honour of Knaresborough is parcel of the duchy of Lan. caster, and includes the Forest, the Forest Liberty, the Manor or Soke, and the Borough of Knaresborough. The Forest Liberty is situate on the north-eastern side of the river Nidd, and comprises Great Ouseburn, Farnham, Staveley, BurtonLeonard, Stainley-with-Cayton, Brearton, Scotton, Seriven-withTentergate, and Arkendale. The limits of the Forest have varied at different times, as grants of portions of the same were made to different individuals. Thus Ribston, Plumpton, Swinden, Dunkeswick, Weeton, Castley, Rigton, Stainburn, Lindley, and Blubberhouses, were in early times separated from the forest, though they were all included within the boundary in the perambulation of 1767. In the last year of Philip and Mary (1558), we find the names of the detached places thus entered on the Court Roll

The Forest proper, in early times was divided into three

constabularies-those of

THRUSCROSS, with seven hamlets, viz., Hill, Bramley, Padside, Thornthwaite, Menwith, Holme, and Darley.

CLINT, with five hamlets-Birstwith, Felliscliffe, Fearnhill, Hampsthwaite, and Rowden.

KILLINGHALL, with four hamlets-Beckwith, Rossett, Bilton, and Heywraygate.

These were afterwards divided into the following eleven constabularies-Bilton-with-Harrogate, Beckith-with-Rossett, Killinghall, Clint, Hampsthwaite, Birstwith, Felliscliffe, Thruscross, Menwith-with-Darley, Timble, and Clifton.

The Court for the Forest is styled the Sheriff Torne, or Great Court Leet, and is held in the castle of Knaresborough twice a year, within a month after Easter and at Michaelmas. The adjourned Court, called "The Grand Inquest," is held in different parts of the Forest, as fixed at the Sheriff Torne. Constables for the district were formerly appointed at this Court, but this part of its power was taken away by an Act of Parliament, passed in 1842. This was also a Court for the recovery of debts, and carrying on of civil actions, and was held every Wednesday three weeks for the Forest and Forest Liberty: the county courts have entirely absorbed this part of the business. Though shorn of much of its former greatness this Court cannot cease to exist, as the greatest part of the land in the Forest is held by copy of Court Roll; and the principal business now is receiving surrenders, admitting copyhold tenants, presenting nuisances, receiving rents, and fines for encroachments, &c. The officers are--a high steward, a learned steward, an under steward, and a bailiff; a grave and bedel are chosen annually by the jury.

The Records of the Honour extend from the 16th Edward III. to the present time; those previous to that time were destroyed by John Lilburne, a partisan of the earl of Lancaster, who

stole into the castle with a few followers, about the year 1315, but being besieged therein, and seeing no prospect of relief, surrendered the same to Nicholas de Gray, sheriff of Yorkshire, after having destroyed all the records and written memorials of the liberties, customs, and privileges of the Honour. These were however again in some measure restored, so far as they could be collected from the memories of men then living, and enrolled at a Court held at Knaresborough, May 10th, 1367.*

The earliest roll we have seen bears date 16th Edward III. (1342), and from that time down to the year 1708, the rolls are yet in existence, and generally in a good state of preservation. These are preserved, along with a quantity of books and papers belonging to the Record or Debt Court, in a room in the ruins of the castle. From 1708 to the present time the transactions of the Courts are entered in large books, which are kept in the office of the under steward. The rolls are written on slips of parchment, nine or ten inches wide, and about two feet in length; some of them contain seven or eight membranes, which are stitched together at one end, rolled up, and tied with a string. First comes the heading of the roll,† then the names of the Jurors-first of the Forest, next of the Liberty; in the year 1663 the names of the forest towns are entered in the following order—

See "Ancient Customs, &c."

+ The following heading is copied from the first page of the first volume in the steward's office

"Turnus sive Curia Magna Leta dominæ reginæ communiter vocata Le Sherriffe Torne, tenta pro dicta domina regina, pro Honore sua de Knaresbrough, infra castrum suum ibidem, die Jovis, scilicet, vicesimo, secundo die Aprilis, anno regni dictæ dominæ reginæ, Anno Dei gratia Magnæ Brittanniæ, Franciæ et Hiberniæ, septimo, annoque Domini, 1708, coram Ricardo, counte Burlington, capitale Senescallo Honoris prædictæ." In Vol I., p. 5, occurs the following variation

"Curiæ dominæ nostriæ, Annæ, Dei gratia Magnæ Brittaniæ, etc. Reginæ, tenta pro foresta et libertate suis de Knaresbrough prædicta infra castrum suum ibidem."-16 June, 1708.

Next are entered the Inquisitions made, and the "pains" laid upon the transgressors. In the above year these were only seven in number, of which the following is a specimen

The jury present Richard Broune de Staveley p. p. mittend equos suos depasturare in le corn feild. Ida est in mca, cura pro sit, &c. Fine vij.d.

Then follows an Inquisition with a long muster roll of names attached, the crime of whose owners had been "p. fodien d sespites sup. Foresta," and for which they are in mercy, and ammerced in sums varying from 2d. to 7d. each. William Hardestie de Killinghall was ammerced at the same time 6d., "pro mitend filices super comai.”

Then follow the records of the Court for the recovery of debts, &c., held every three weeks.

At the Court held "Pasche, Anno. Eliz. 16th (1576)," the following "pains" were laid

"FORESTA DE KNARESBURGHE."

"Paynes sett by the greate Inquest of the Forest of Knaresburgh, at the Sherif Tourne holden their.

A paine laid that no person or persons dwellinge or inhabitinge within the said Forrest, nor any person dwellinge without the same, (the quenes majesties copyholders and freeholders ther exceptid,) shall within the boundes and lymyttes of the said Forest, cocke, that is, go abrode in wynter season, in, and thoroughe the woodes and other places within the precyncte of the said Forest with his bowe, his boltes or arrowes, pretendynge to kill the woodcock, oneles he or they have a speciall lycense by writinge under the hand of the quenes majesties head steward